


Jiraiya's Lament

by LaniAhava



Category: Naruto
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Gen, Teacher-Student Relationship, late promise kept
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 17:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12635508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaniAhava/pseuds/LaniAhava
Summary: He loved him like a son and grieved like father who lost his child.





	Jiraiya's Lament

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I never in any time or dimension own Naruto and all that it entails.  
> **Warning: possible sadness with a bittersweet ending**  
> I was inspired by a picture in Tumblr and realize how sad must have been for Jiraiya lose Minato. Well here is a one-shot enjoy or cry in this case.

Jiraiya was one would call not very talented.

Then put in him in a team of prodigies: Orochimaru who loves to find out how anything and everything works and the great healer Tsunade. 

You get a goofball.

He was grudgingly aware of this, but he trained hard to be the best ninja the world has ever seen. Despite earning the title of being one of The Sannin, he was still overshadowed by his teammates.

Then he gained a genin team. Even that he failed when almost all his students died, left only with little Minato.

(It's rather ironic, that in the end, he alone stayed loyal to his village and didn't give up/left when things didn't go as one planned or tragedy struck.)

Imagine his surprise, Minato, who has potential to become also a great prodigy, but with a good heart, whose dreams is to become the next Hokage, still wished to train under him! Jiraiya, the pervert, the dreamer.

(And the fool.)

Over time this young boy become more than just his student. He isn't sure how it happened, but he never regretted it.

(Not even decades later with the pain of great loss).

Probably it happened as he laughed at Minato's poor attempts at soothing his angered fiancée, cried with him when the young man (his precious boy, why must he too suffer his teacher's fate!) lost most of his students.

So proud when Minato was inaugurated as the Fourth Hokage, fulfilling his dream.

* * *

 

Jiraiya stood outside on the balcony of Minato's and Kushina's apartment. He was thinking about new ideas for his Icha Icha books as he processed his little Minato is going to be father!

Better yet, he, Jiraiya was chosen to be the unborn child's godfather. This is a great day!

His thoughts were interrupted when he sensed Minato appeared next to him.

The older man knew Minato had something on his mind throughout their family dinner. Sometimes is hard to tell and other times is dreadfully easy. This time , it might be of the former with the serious look he gains, similar when Minato plans something that Jiraiya himself is wary of, but trusts Minato would do the right thing.

"Jiraiya-sensei," Minato greets him, "I have another favor to ask of you."

Out of habit of not being serious, Jiraiya joked, "Oh? You want something from the Great Jiraiya? Ask away!"

"Will you be willing to train my child?"

Jiraiya stares at Minato, gob smacked, "What?! Wouldn't it be better if you train your own kid?"

"Of course! It's just," Minato looks over the village with an old look, so out of place for someone so young, "being Hokage might take too much of my time and I would like someone who I can trust to be there for him or her."

Jiraiya’s lips trembled. Minato looked worried at this and suddenly was attacked by a hug. Exasperatedly, the student pats his teacher's back as the latter dramatically sobbed in happiness. It took the older man a minute to pull himself together and grinned at him.

"Don't worry! I might even show him the wonders of women wiles!" He gave Minato a thumbs up, huffing with a goofy grin.

" _Sensei!_ " Minato groans in his hands before looking up, "Just don't get too busy with 'your work.'"

Both men knew what Minato meant wasn't Jiraiya's author cover.

"Hey! I wouldn't miss messing with your kid for the world!" Jiraiya wrapped one arm over Minato's tensed shoulders.

Minato ducks his head, yet a soft smile was easily seen, "I'll hold you to that."

With a last squeeze on the younger man's relaxed shoulders, Jiraiya lets go to cross his arms, "Now, how is your training, brat? That hat hadn't made you go soft? Or  _slow?_ "

Minato smirks, "Well I am rather caught up with my paperwork and rumor has it Training Ground 7 is empty today."

Teacher and student grins at each other and jumped out of the balcony in a run.

Funny how for the man famous (or feared, depending who you ask) for his speed as the "Yellow Flash," came second after his teacher. The latter might have cheated via sabotage, but then again, a ninja doesn't really cheat.

* * *

 

It was the afternoon of October 11.

Jiraiya was sighing as he drank a glass of sake. He couldn't believe his week.

He had caught up with Tsunade, but she got away after punching him in the stomach, landing him at the other side of the town. Although he cannot help feeling freaked out. If he hadn't moved, that punched would have landed even lower.

After that he found a trail a couple of days ago about a potential threat to Konoha. Unfortunately, the trail was a bust.

"Have you heard?"

"About what?"

"Konoha was attacked!"

Speaking of which and curious what crazy rumors these drunks had to say, Jiraiya began to stretch, hiding the fact he was leaning back to hear better. After all, sometimes rumors had some truth in them.

"No way! Who would possibly attack the village that their Hokage is The Yellow Flash?"

"I heard it was the nine tails."

Jiraiya froze. He quickly made mental count and realized Kushina was due any time now. Normally that wouldn't be much of a big deal, but her being a Jinchuuriki, the seal of the demon fox weakens when giving birth. This could spell trouble.

"Not only that, but the Yellow Flash killed it at the cost of his life!"

Jiraiya didn't hear anymore and left the village.

He knew he could check the summoning scroll to see Minato's name to know what state he is in, but he feared what he will see.

Halfway to Konoha, a toad summoned himself in front of him.

"Hello, Jiraiya-boy," the aged toad greeted with a broken look.

"No. No-nonono," Jiraiya choked, "Please, Pops, please not him."

The aged toad eyes soften, and deep sadness weighed heavily on the toad’s shoulders, "I lament to inform you they’re both gone. They protected their spawn to their last breath."

Jiraiya fell on his knees. With a bowed head, his body shook as he cried out in the heavens. The toad rubbed Jiraiya's arm, the only thing he can reached by his small stature.

His precious student, his last living student, his son all, but blood is gone.

And he wasn't there to prevent it.

.

.

_A young boy with familiar blond hair and blue eyes slammed his hands on the table Jiraiya was using, "Pervy Sage! When are you going to train me?!"_

" _Shut it brat! Learn some patience and for that matter respect!" Jiraiya kept writing something in a scroll._

" _I would if_ someone _isn't writing that trash instead of helping me get stronger!"_

" _Oi! My books are the best thing that it ever happened to man!"_

_Jiraiya quickly finish up his notes that surprisingly wasn't for his new Icha Icha books, but notes of what to train his recent apprentice, Naruto, for the next three years they are on the road._

—I'm a little late,  _my boy_ , but I'm fulfilling my promise—

**Author's Note:**

> Worry not, on my other Naruto story, The Return of the Knucklehead, would not have a sad ending, although currently it's still being worked on.


End file.
